Coloring Books That Come to Life

Coloring is a rite of passage for kids. Whether you had to do it in school, at a sibling’s soccer practice or all damn afternoon because you loved it, coloring books were the bomb. Some of us were very serious about the craft of staying in the lines, while others had more of a Picasso approach. It was one of the easiest ways to explore our creative expression and also to hog all of the best pencil crayon colors.

While coloring used to be considered more of a kid’s hobby, we can’t forget the fact that adult coloring books have basically taken over the world. It’s been said that coloring helps to calm the mind and helps us to unwind, so it’s no surprise that many people have taken up the tedious craft again.

Fortunately, technology has noticed this trend, and has triumphantly declared: “I can make this cooler, too!” Like, of course you can technology. So impress us.

Live Texturing of Augmented Reality

Disney is at the forefront of a fancy new idea that I think kids and adults alike will love. They’ve been working on a new project, which takes even the simplest 2-D coloring image and turns it into a three-dimensional object right before your eyes.

The Disney research team has created an interactive Android and iOS coloring book app, which turns colored drawings into augmented reality objects. The idea utilizes the Unity game engine and builds a 3-D image from colored images, even to go as far as recreating the texture.

The app can also build the rest of your character or object even if it’s a 2-D image, which means that flat Mickey Mouse you just colored now has a full 360-degree body. (The details aren’t 100% on point, but they’re getting there.)

How Does This Work Exactly?

The application copies pixels from your masterpiece and adapts them to create the object’s other regions. And if you’re super impatient you won’t even have to worry about waiting—this app can create the 3-D object in real time, meaning it will virtually come to life as you’re coloring!

The idea is still in progress, which means it’s not going to be on the market anytime soon. However, with this kind of technology there is rumor that we could even use our characters in interactive games or have them move, walk and talk at some point. How cool would it be to draw something up and watch it come to life!? (Come onnn, dream boyfriend.)

If you want to learn more about the study, check out this article that goes more in-depth about the process from Disney.

There is no set price point or even a specific year for this tool to be available to us. In fact, I’m wondering if this kind of technology may end up in the hands of movie makers long before we get to enjoy it. Regardless, Walt must be absolutely giddy wherever he is, seeing the possibility of this idea coming to life.

About Tech And Burgers

Here at Techandburgers, we like to keep it simple–we love tech and we love food. If you enjoy that delectably juicy mile-high bacon stuffed burger while downloading new apps as much as we do, then we embrace you with open arms!